Maine Father Charged With Manslaughter After Toddler Dies of Hypothermia

Shane McLaughlin, 37, was arrested in Milford on Wednesday after a 10-month investigation into the death of his 13-month-old daughter. Police charged him with one count of manslaughter and three counts of child endangerment.

Eleanora Ray McLaughlin died on December 28, 2025, at the family home. Outside temperatures that night fell to 13 degrees. McLaughlin told investigators that a pet left the door open to the bedroom where he and his children were sleeping. The room, which relied on a space heater, became cold enough for him to see his own breath.

McLaughlin stated that he woke to find the room freezing. He retrieved a package of Pop-Tarts and went to wake his daughter, discovering she had already died. A report from the Maine Department of Health and Human Services indicated that the couple's two other children were present in the home at the time of the incident.

Erika Dupuis, the child's mother, noted that DHHS had closed a separate investigation involving the family's twin girls just six days before Eleanora died. Dupuis obtained the agency's report regarding the toddler's death.

State Sen. Jeffrey Timberlake, R-Androscoggin, is one of three lawmakers urging DHHS officials to appear before the Government Oversight Committee. The group is seeking accountability for the agency's handling of the case. No hearings have been scheduled as of this week.